Kyle Wins Truman Scholarship

March 28, 2006

Occidental College senior Jennifer Kyle of Greenwich, Conn., has been selected as a 2006 Truman Scholar, one of 75 college students selected nationwide for their leadership potential, intellectual ability and likelihood of “making a difference” in government or public sector service.

Each Truman Scholarship provides $30,000 for graduate study. Kyle, a diplomacy and world affairs major at Occidental, said she plans to pursue a doctorate in international relations. She is particularly interested in U.S. foreign policy in Africa.

“I am incredibly honored to have received the Truman,” said Kyle, a 2003 graduate of Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich. “The most amazing part about the scholarship is how much support you get in planning your career and then pursuing it. Their programming provides many opportunities for me to meet people and learn more about what I want to do, and they will also give me a lot of support and guidance when I am making career decisions. It’s kind of like a backstage pass for my career.”

Kyle is the 12th Occidental student to win the Truman Scholarship. This year’s scholars were chosen from among 598 candidates nominated by 311 colleges and universities.

The Harry Truman Scholarship Foundation is based in Washington, D.C., and serves as a memorial to the nation’s 33rd president. Former Truman scholars serve as managers of government programs, legislators and aides, foreign service officers, teachers, staff members in policy analysis and research organizations, attorneys for government agencies, public defenders, professors, and professional staff in advocacy organizations and not-for-profit institutions.